Kammari Teeter

Did you ever wonder why it took so long to get cold, or why there are 60-degree days and we are about to be in winter? Global warming may be the reason why; there has been an increase in the global annual temperature. Global warming is the rise in average temperatures across the globe, which has been ongoing since record keeping began in 1880. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the global annual temperature increased at a rate of 0.13 degrees Fahrenheit (0.07 degrees Celsius) per decade on, average. Unfortunately, since 1981 the global annual temperature has increased. It has increased up to 0.32 F (0.18 C) per decade, which leads to an increase of about 3.6 F (2 C) as of today. 

As we know now humans are the cause of modern global warming. The burning of fossil fuels release greenhouse gasesinto the atmosphere, which trap warmth from the sun- and drive-up surface and air temperatures. Burning such fossil fuels like coal and oil releases water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone and nitrous oxide (N2O). These gases are considered the primary greenhouse gases. However, global warming doesn’t mean just warming, many researchers and policy makers have switched over to calling it climate change. 

Both global warming and climate change are linked together, but they have their differences. Global warming is defined as an increase in combined surface air and sea surface temperatures averaged over the globe and over a 30-year period. While climate change is weather over a long duration. Changes in the climate created by human-induced global warming are having and will continue to have long term effects. 

The most visible effect of global warming is melting ice. Since the end of the last ice age, ice sheets have been retreating. The loss of glaciers can cause the loss of human life, when icy dams holding back glacier lakes destabilize and burst or when avalanches caused by unstable ice bury villages. Also, because the poles are warming up, it is causing megadroughts and in the future there could be a case of more droughts in western North America. A reaction from the droughts can be wildfires – there is so much damage that wildfires can do. According to National Interagency Fire Center date, there has been a steady increase in the extent of wildfires since the 1980’s. 

Extreme weather can also be an impact of global warming, such as hurricanes and typhoons. 

For some life on earth this can be very harmful. The degree that the planet is warming to is beyond what many species can handle. This alters or eliminates their habitat, reduces food sources, causing drought, and directly killing species that can’t stand the heat. Global warming is expected cause 35% of animals and plants to become extinct by 2050 according to the National Park Service.  Losing these different life forms can diminish biodiversity, severely disrupt ecosystems, and cause immense hardship for human societies worldwide. Dramatically, as the warmer air settles in, this causes the Artic to be one of the first places to be impacted. The warmer air melts the ice that is in use by the animals for hunting, resting, reproducing, and other key life factors. The Global Warming and Endangered Species Initiative is set out to improve habitat protections, address climate change, and safeguard decisions from political interference to help the earth but most importantly endangered species. 

Works Cited

Global Warming Effects. (2022, February 16). Environment. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/global-warming-effects

Global Warming and Life on Earth. (n.d.). https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/climate_law_institute/global_warming_and_life_on_earth/index.html

Global Warming | Gale Databases Explored. (n.d.). https://www.gale.com/intl/databases-explored/social-issues/global-warming

Pappas, S. (2022, October 14). What is global warming? livescience.com. https://www.livescience.com/37003-global-warming.html

Selin, H. (2022, October 27). Global warming | Definition, Causes, Effects, Solutions, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/global-warming

Strickland, J., & Grabianowski, E. (2021, August 19). How Global Warming Works. HowStuffWorks. https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/global-warming.htm

Turrentine, A. M. J. (n.d.). Global Warming 101. NRDC. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101

What’s the Difference Between Global Warming and Climate Change? (2022, November 21). Treehugger. https://www.treehugger.com/global-warming-vs-climate-change-6503933